Of Ravens
by WhenTheStarsGoBlue95
Summary: Of Ravens who have yet to take flight, there are always some who are only grounded because they are waiting until the Ravens around them are willing to take to the skies. Author's Note: I know, pretty bad summary, but please, R&R.
1. When Lights Go Out

**Author's Note: **I don't own One Tree Hill, just thought I'd put that out there. Also, some of the events are inspired by the series but some are also my own ideas and such. I'm trying not to copy the actual show, so keep that in mind. Also, this takes place when they're all seniors and if you want to know the couples they are: Brucas, Neyton, Jeyton, Naley, and that could all change too. Also italics indicate stressing on words, thoughts, dreams, and flashbacks, it should be either indicated or obvious about which one it is.

-----

"And five, six, seven, eight," Brooke called out to the Ravens before her in the formation of a 'V' with the point missing and a spot in the second row empty. "One and two, three, four, five, six, and seven and eight," she continued counting, "Again; one and two, three, four, Bevin!" The brunette walked over to the dirty blonde haired girl who had missed the four counts. "It's one and two, three, four; not one and two, three and seven, five, six, and eight or whatever you had in mind. You just did it perfectly, what happened?" Her tone was strict but she wasn't yelling. "Show it to me," she demanded, while counting under her breath. "Four, Bevin, _four_! One and two, three, _four_," she went through the motions and then watched the girl do them back. Then the cheerleading captain praised the fellow senior for doing the right moves but in a way that said she was annoyed, "thank you, Bevin. Now was that so difficult?"

She walked back to face them all again, her arms folded over her chest. "Come on you guys," she began her speech, "half of you helped me choreograph this with everyone's abilities in mind so why should is this so damn difficult? Regionals are in two days, _two days,_ and at the rate we're going we're not going to be ready. The Ravens haven't lost this competition in seven years; do you really want to be the ones that ruin it?" She heard grumbles and a few distinct no's while she went through every cheerleader with her eyes, piercing them for truth. Nobody made eye contact; the weight was just put on their shoulders with far more pressure than ever before.

"Together now," she said, hopping in to make the tip of the 'V,' and counting off, "five, six, seven, eight." In unison the girl's began a series of jumps, kicks, 'pops' and other moves that formed a wonderful routine. "Again, this time with the music!" Her voice rang through the gym and her eyes glanced at the clock while she walked to the radio, "we only have ten minutes left so we're going to run it as many times as possible."

In the next ten minutes they faltered and dropped in extremity but then they regained everything and made it look easier than it really was. The routine was run about four to five times before Brooke walked over to the radio and turned it off. "Great job ladies, be back here tomorrow at the exact same time only we're extending the practice a half hour and meeting again from 6:30 to 9 o'clock," she told them as she flipped her hair which was pulled back into a neat half ponytail. Dropping her pom-poms into her bag, she gathered her belongings and turned and headed for the door.

"Hey B. Davis," said a familiar voice. Brooke turned around and smiled at who she saw, a blonde, curly haired girl who was her best friend. "Sorry I couldn't make the practice, I tried but my dad refused to leave the interview."

"Hey P. Sawyer," Brooke answered giving her a hug. "It's alright, we just ran the routine only about a hundred times. People just couldn't get it for some reason. Anyway, how was the interview? 'Think you nailed it?"

Peyton shrugged, "I don't know. One can only hope. If I had my car and my dad _not_ two feet away I probably would've done better." She sighed, "What can you do though, right?"

The cheering captain understood. "How is your baby anyway?" Brooke and Peyton had known each other since practically forever and when Peyton got her 1963 Comet they had begun referring to as her 'baby' (which fit considering the fact that Peyton loved the thing like it was a child in reality). Peyton's 'baby' had to go into the shop for its 'checkup' and a few fix ups. The two could always tell things by reading the other's expression, so Brooke did just that. She tried to read Peyton's expression, see it in her eyes what she was feeling and thinking about her precious comet taking off and landing where she couldn't see it out a window.

"I guess it's doing fine, still in the shop. I hope they don't hurt it," she frowned.

"Oh come on Peyton, it's a car. I know you love it and all, but I don't think they can physically hurt a car."

"You could be right; maybe I'm just over reacting. It's just…it's a constant, unlike me and Nathan… speaking of boyfriends here comes yours…Hey Luke." Peyton waved to one of the star basketball players coming their way. It was time for the guys practice, well; it would be in five minutes. Luke had decided he'd stop by when it was and wasn't obvious, but safe and a bit risky all at the same time. Brooke looked over her shoulder when Peyton waved and gave a sweet smile while Peyton spoke, "Hey, I'll see you around, okay, my place, seven o'clock, movie night?" she asked, turning her attention back to her best friend. "Works?"

Brooke looked back at Peyton and nodded, "Yeah, it works. See you then." She watched as the co-captain of the squad left the gym. She knew that she had wanted to maybe go over some things with Brooke, or at least talk a bit in private that didn't involve cell phones, but Lucas Scott could change everything in the blink of an eye.

"Hey babe," he cooed as he walked over to her and slid his hands around her waist. "How's my favorite Brooke Davis doing today?" He kissed her on the forehead and she blushed. Luke never ceased to work his charm and it always made Brooke feel like he really did put a spell on her.

She smiled and brushed some loose wisps of hair out of her face before running her hand through his dirty blonde hair. "Fine, fine, how's my favorite Lucas Scott doing?" she grinned, unable to contain the happiness he brought her. "Do you think he'd accept a good luck kiss before practice?" Without waiting for a response, she kissed him gently and pulled back searching his eyes for a pleading of more or distaste. She found neither, just laughter reflecting in those beautiful eyes.

"Brooke," he whispered his lips close to her ear, "I don't think I need luck for a _practice_ but, hey, kisses are always welcome and a little extra luck couldn't hurt, what do 'ya' say?"

Brooke could tell that meant he wanted more, so she gave him that. She pressed her lips against his, gently, her hand behind his neck, his behind hers. Then slowly things became a bit more intense, there was more begging and more passion put into the kiss, more force.

A whistle blew and both jumped, separating them by only a few centimeters. Luke turned his head, and Brooke did the same. In the doorway was Coach 'Whitey' Durham, the school's basketball coach. His black whistle was hung loosely around his neck, his clipboard at his side, and a blue cap on his head. "You two break it up, this isn't a love fest," he called, "it's a school gym. And Miss Davis, I believe you told me that you only needed the gym until four for your cheerleading practice not making out with Lucas Scott practice. Scott, run ten laps." Though Durham was demanding, and giving orders, he was smiling after wards.

Brooke put her forehead to Lucas's and then put her hand on his chest. "Run fast, you might get a reward," she grinned mischievously and then as he let go of her hand that she just realized he was holding, she tapped his arm. She watched him begin his run and when she waved her goodbye, he looked over his shoulder and waved a bit too. As she walked down the hallway, she smiled to herself wondering how she got so lucky. Luke was wondering the same thing.

------

"Hey man," Luke said after running only two laps out of the ten that he was supposed to run and walking up to his brother, Nathan. The rest of the basketball team had come out of the locker room and it was time for practice. "So listen," he began, while grabbing a basketball from the cart that Whitey had wheeled out. "You know how there's that big cheerleading thing on Friday? Well, I think we should go and throw a huge party after. It could be a chance for you and Peyton to finally…bond." He laughed at his play on words and one look at Nathan's expression; he could tell that he might have said the wrong thing, but they had to get even somehow. After all, the past few years have been the two Scott boys going at it. "Don't tell me you two broke up…again?"

Nathan nodded and also grabbed a basketball, "yeah. Well, that's what you get when you decide to become her boyfriend." He sighed. He had thought he loved Peyton but maybe not as much as he thought. "She didn't break up with me though," he told his older brother. "I broke up with her, just now, in the hall on my way from the locker room." That was a step up for him. He had always waited for the girl to give up; he had always got all he could from the girl before she called it quits.

Luke looked at him from the corner of his eye, and a look of confusion on his face. "And you're upset about that? What happened to your sense of…adventure?" He grinned. He was on a roll with his words today.

"Luke, just stop," Nathan finally said, "Okay? I mean, I thought she'd at least ask me why you know, but she didn't she just agreed to it." He took a free throw because for the first few minutes of practice that's what they always did. "I mean, I thought she'd at least feel a bit hurt."

Lucas could understand how that could be a bummer but then he thought about Nate's words. "Wait, so you only dumped her because you wanted to see if she cared? Well, obviously she's not going to beg you to take her back she broke up with you like, five times already."

Nate nodded, "yeah, well, I thought that this time would be different, not to mention…" He smiled. He wasn't as upset about the breakup as he appeared or was acting to be. "Have you seen that new chick? She's like the hottest smart girl you've ever seen. Her name's something James, I think. I think she just moved here."

Luke shook his head. "First off," he took a free throw and chased after his ball, Nathan on his heels. "She has been going to this school since she was a freshman. Second off, she has a name and it's Haley, she's one of my best friends. She's off limits." He didn't want Nathan after his best friend. He was probably just going after her to get to Luke, and they hadn't actually settled their little battle between them which made Luke suspicious. Besides, why would he want to get to know her _now_? She had been going to the school for years, out in the open for a while, and yet he only just noticed her. But maybe he did kind of like her. It was possible. Luke wouldn't lie, Haley was a great girl, but for Nathan? It seemed too different, too farfetched.

"Don't tell me you're cheating on Brooke with her?" Nathan grinned. "I mean if you are, you're finally learning."

"Let's get one thing straight," Luke shot back, "I'm not cheating on Brooke, I'd never, I mean I've known Haley forever and I don't like her the way I like Brooke. And what's _that _supposed to mean?"

"You're too overprotective, Luke," Nate told him as he went up for a layup. When he landed and caught his ball, dribbling it back to his spot, he added, "I know you wouldn't cheat on Brooke, neither would I, she's definitely got it all going for her and I don't think, no, I definitely _know_ I wouldn't put my chance with her in jeopardy…" He watched Luke's expression and chuckled himself. It was true that Brooke was attractive and all, but he didn't like her like that just like Lucas didn't like Haley like that. "I'm kidding, come on, lighten up a bit. I don't think tense guys work too well for the ladies." He laughed once more as he dodged the ball that Luke threw at him in a joking way with just a hint of seriousness in it.

A whistle rang and rattled their eardrums. At the same time, the two boys turned their head to see Durham only about one foot away, his whistle hanging loosely in his mouth before falling around his neck. "Now you two better start getting into the practice or you both will be running laps," he said seriously and both boys knew that he'd make them.

"Yes sir," they said airily like it didn't make much of a difference, but they began to get into the practice anyway. Neither of them was really in the mood to run laps.

-----

Once practice was over, Nathan hit the showers; he was the last one there. Steam filled the area around him. He liked his showers super hot to the point where the steam was so thick it was like a sauna and you could barely see in front of you. This protected him from the other guys on the team too, because a few of them could get pretty immature and well…one only knows what immature boys would do in the locker room after practice. He didn't need 'protection' from the immature ones though, because they had decided to leave everyone be today, and everyone decided to do the same. Once they were set to go, everyone left, they didn't like sticking around the school too much, who would?

Anyway, it didn't take long for Nate to get himself all presentable and looking normal. Once he had changed he walked down the halls of the school, deciding on which soda machine to stop at and which snack machines to visit. Of course, he had settled on the two the farthest away because they were the only two that handed out 'Funions' and Pepsi instead of Coke.

Rounding the corner and digging in his pocket for a dollar and quarters, he looked up only to find the girl he had been talking about earlier, standing there seemingly deciding what it was she wanted from the soda machine. He stepped beside her at the snack machine, pressed A4 and retrieved his 'Funions,' checking her out from the corner of his eye. She stepped aside graciously for him to use the machine, figuring that was what it was he was looking at. It worked for him and saved him time. He put in his dollar and another quarter. Pressing the button with the word PEPSI and a photo of it on it, he waited until he heard the rumble of the machine before bending over and grabbing his can of Pepsi.

"You're…Haley, right? Haley James," Nathan said to the girl while flashing a charming smile.

She looked at him in a way that said she was shocked _he _would be talking to _her_. "Yeah, I'm Haley. You're Luke's brother, Nathan, right?" Okay, so she _knew_ that that was his name, it just so happened that she thought if he wasn't sure, why should she be? Not to mention, she didn't want to freak him out or give him any ideas by the fact that she knew that bit of crucial information.

"Yeah, that's me," Nate said, while opening his bag of 'Funions' and offering the bag to her, "Funion?"

She smiled and he wondered if she was debating laughing or not. "I'm fine thanks," she said looking back to the machine. She still wasn't sure what it was she wanted. "What do you recommend for soda? I don't know what I'm in the mood for," she turned to him, wondering if he'd accept this new step up of conversation. He only held out his Pepsi.

"Need a taste test? I didn't poison it or anything," he grinned. He was curious about the fact if she was catching his drift or not. He was flirting.

"I actually," Haley began, very tempted to take a sip of his drink. It'd satisfy her, and if he wanted her to take a sip, it'd satisfy him. The only problem was though, what if she backwashed without knowing it and he could tell? That'd be embarrassing and probably gross him out, not to mention it'd gross her out. "Need a quarter," she finally finished, realizing that she only had a dollar which she had just fed into the machine.

Nathan dug in his pocket once more and pulled out a shiny quarter. Tossing it up for her to catch, he told her, "I only give the shiny one's to people I like."

Haley blushed at this and let her hair fall so he couldn't see her bright red cheeks slowly go to rosy and then back to normal. "Thanks." She smiled though, even if he couldn't see it, and slid the coin through the slot before pressing the button showing root beer. She bent over, picked it up, opened it and took a sip. "What are you doing here anyway, didn't practice end ten minutes ago?"

"Fifteen actually," Nate corrected her before shooting the question back. "I could ask you the same thing though? What are you doing here anyway?"

Haley always thought that being smart was a good thing, and it was. But she felt stupid saying it, her reason for still being there, to Nathan Scott. He spent more time on the court than worrying about school and it made her think that maybe she should make up something cool to match it and make him think that she wasn't obsessed with books and learning. In a way, she wasn't. "I was actually tutoring someone," she let it slip though, the real reason. "I tutor people sometimes after school and use the school piano sometimes." When she looked at Nathan's face, the first thought she had was, oh lord, I said the wrong thing didn't I? But she hadn't, she had said the perfect thing.

"Really? That's pretty cool," Nathan smiled, showing he was willing to give some support. "I'd love to hear you play sometime."

Haley brushed her auburn-brown hair behind her ear and looked up at him. "Really? No you wouldn't, I'm horrible," she shook her head a bit. How could Nathan Scott want to hear her play assuming that she was good? Well, she was either good and that's why he wanted to hear her, because he thought that, or she was horrible and he knew she would be and he just wanted her to play so he had a reason to humiliate her in the halls and get everyone to make fun of her. Thankfully though, her phone buzzed in her pocket saving her from these thoughts that were corrupting her mind that was happy Nathan was talking to her. The vibrating though, made her pull it out of her pocket pretty fast while taking another sip of Root beer. "Oh, it's Luke," she let him know, while reading the name under the icon that showed she had a text. When she opened the text she saw the question, 'where are you?' across the screen. "I have to go. He's waiting for me." Luke was driving her home.

It shocked her, what she saw. Nate looked a little disappointed, a bit upset, and like he wanted her to stay and talk with him some more. "Well, bye then. You sure you don't want a Funion?" he asked before she began backing away.

"Thanks," she said, finally deciding on grabbing one of them and popping it in her mouth. She gave a little wave while she walked backwards down the hall towards the door the thoughts of how romantic it was to share 'Funions' running through her head.

"Oh hey," he called after her, "since you tutor and all, 'wanna' help me prepare for my chemistry test?"

She nodded, "sure. Be here tomorrow, after practice. Buy some Funions and be ready." She smiled hoping she hadn't set the standard too high for him. There was so much he needed to juggle and balance on what with basketball every day and homework that she didn't know if he even did. Also, she had demanded he buy 'Funions' and she didn't know if one, he'd want to spend his money on 'Funions,' two, he'd want to share his 'Funions' (which she hoped he would), three, if he'd even _want_ 'Funions,' and finally, if he'd even show. Maybe he was just pulling her leg with the whole ordeal.

He nodded, "sure, I'll be here with the 'Funions' and the soda. You'll be in the mood for root beer, right?"

He watched her nod and say, "yeah, I'll be in the mood."

"Okay, bye," he waved, once she was so far away that if they wanted to continue talking they'd probably have to talk very, very loudly. He watched her turn around and practically walk right into the double doors that lead outside. He knew she was blushing because it was something that seemed like something girls would do when they did something embarrassing instead of just laughing about it. He couldn't help it though he snickered a bit, with his hand that was holding the soda, in front of his mouth to muffle it, not that she could hear it. She looked over her shoulder at him, which made him wonder if she had heard him, but she just smiled her goodbye and left. Feeling it was his time to leave too he turned and walked back down the hall, taking the long walk back to his car.

-----

That night, the Ravens turned off their lights, some of the last lights left shining in Tree Hill, all having something worth turning the lights out for.


	2. When Thoughts Come Alive

"_Stop it will you," she said with a giggle while she came up for air. Truly, anyone could tell, she wanted it all to continue. His fingers were caressing her inner thigh and his lips were kissing her continually which she didn't mind. Who would mind? It was one of the most handsome guys in the world that Peyton Sawyer was lying on the bed with, making out with. Her thin fingers wove through his dark hair. "I know you said we were done, but we say that every other week. Aren't you glad that this week there's a party," she whispered with a smile while he ran kisses down her neck and then back up. All she received in return to her words was a small noise like a hum but more like a groan. _

_She guided him back up to her lips, one hand behind his head, making the kiss more intimate. While she was focused on his lips, he was focused on unbuttoning that short little skirt of hers. "Come on Nathan," Peyton said, "we didn't even lock the door." _

_That's when Nathan broke away and climbed off the bed to the door and locked it. "The problems fixed," he grinned, looking at the beauty before him. Her blonde curly locks looking rather untamed, and that skirt tempting him, and her crooked shirt giving him pleasure. He made his way back to the bed where she was waiting and then put one knee on either side of her hips on the bed. _

"_But there's an even bigger problem Nate," Peyton told him in a flirty way, "Those buttons aren't undoing themselves." So, like he was supposed to, he unbuttoned his shirt and threw it on the floor, before working on Peyton's buttons. "Good boy," she cooed, while his lips went back to work going up and down her neck, a little further down every time and his fingers did their job; undoing her skirt, going up her shirt, taking off her shirt, doing all the right things while she undid his pant buttons. She closed her eyes and whispered as if in a trance, "very good boy."_

Peyton blinked away the memory as she read the text Nathan had sent her at ten o'clock that night. She had been having flashbacks of all the parties and dates that went the same every time. They pleased each other, Nathan and Peyton really did. Only the text that Nate had sent had rallied up all of Peyton's memories and used them against her to hurt her. She figured he knew what he was doing, knew it would happen; all of those memories would come back and flood her mind, sweep her away. In reality though, he didn't. Besides, half the time they were drunk so they shouldn't have even been remembered, but they had been and the memories like that couldn't just go away even with alcohol soaking them up.

"He wrote: Not gonna be at the after party of your cheer-meet-thing, so don't wait up," she said into the phone, waiting for Brooke to respond. "I mean, this hasn't happened before, we always break-up then make-up. 'Think he's just screwing me over because I didn't crawl back to him? Or do you think that he means it?"

Brooke, at the other end of the phone shrugged even if Peyton couldn't see it. "Don't you mean hook-up?" she joked before going back to at least being a little serious. "But since when has Nathan Scott meant a word he said? He's probably just waiting for you to text him back with one of those sad faces like I do with Lucas." She examined her nails wondering if it was the sad face that really won Luke over, or if it was the picture of her making a puppy dog face that she sent afterwards. "Oh, and me and you need to get our nails done before the competition."

Peyton nodded. Brooke had a point. "Okay, you're probably right and yes we do, I might need some tips, I bit mine off already his text rattled me _that_ much. 'You _sure_ he didn't mean it? I mean, for a text it seemed pretty serious."

Brooke gave up and sighed, "I…don't know P. Sawyer. I gotta go. Bye."

At the exact same time the two girls hung up and Brooke went to bed while Peyton continued her flashbacks, some more pleasant and less…disturbing then others. When she fell asleep finally though, it was dreamless and maybe that's why she didn't want it to end.

-----

Brooke rolled over, the best dream weaving in her mind…

_Brooke looked at the calendar counting the days until wedding, the largest smile plastered upon her face. Exactly three days and then she'd be married. Brooke Scott; she had begun writing that whenever she signed her name on any paper of any form. Sometimes when she was bored, she even practiced writing it, making sure that it looked perfect, the best it could look. _

_It didn't take long for the days to roll by and her name to become permanent. In fact, she was dancing in her beautiful white dress. Spaghetti straps kept her dress fitting perfectly and looking its best making her look her best. A white shawl had dropped from her shoulders and was now just draped over her elbows hanging loosely, but that's what made it look good. The dress was simple but so beautiful she felt like the perfect bride. Her white shoes completed the outfit, and the diamond studs brought out the diamond necklace she was wearing, as well as the carefully placed diamonds in her hair which was done to perfection. The picture of her dancing with Lucas was what she had pictured when she was a little girl dreaming of the perfect wedding. Of course, when she was little, the boy had been a mystery, but now it was crystal clear who it was and he looked magnificent. _

_She rested her head on his chest and they danced around. "I love you," he whispered kissing her on the top of the head. She smiled and still, after all those years they must've been dating, blushed. _

"_I love you too," she whispered back. Her hand was in his and they were dancing around, his other hand on the small of her back and they looked so in love. Someone even tapped on her should to get her attention and take a picture of the two. She saw numerous flashes directed towards them, probably people were just trying to capture the moments of them acting natural without knowing they were getting photographed. _

_Someone tapped her shoulder and she turned her smile to the man there. It was her dad. "May I steal her away?" he asked politely. Brooke watched Luke nod with a large smile, and let her go fall into step with her father. _

_Brooke hadn't seen her father in a very long time and it was so great to dance with him. It was like everything was now complete and had fallen into place just because her dad had decided to pop up and say hello and dance with her on the best day of her life. Just when they began, the song that Brooke had always said would be her father-daughter wedding dance song began to play. Shockingly enough, her dad knew the song and was singing. He was never a good singer, but he knew all the words to their song. It was called, I Loved Her First, by Heartland and it was the perfect song…the perfect song that died out far too soon. Along with the music her dad began to fade. _

"_Daddy?" she whispered, confused, and sad. Then she spun around and everyone was fading except for Luke, he was the last one there with her. "Where's everyone going?" she asked what was left of her wedding. Even the scenery was fading until it was sucked right out of her and…_

Her eyes opened. Brooke checked her clock that read it was only four o six. She had about two more hours until she'd have to wake up for the next day of school and grueling cheer practices. She couldn't wait…for it to be over. Nobody seemed to listen half the time and these thoughts kept her awake for the two remaining hours of sleep she had left. It was a waste of time, she could be sleeping, but instead she was laying awake thinking about her dream and all of its perfection and how it was so brutally taken from her and all that would replace it within the next twenty four hours.

-----

"I can't believe I didn't finish this sooner. I can't believe I forgot," Haley muttered to herself. It was about four thirty in the morning and she had to write a short story for English. She had decided that she'd write it based on an actually experience she had, just changed up a bit so nobody would really recognize it unless if they were Lucas and focused.

Her dark hair fell over her shoulder and over what she had written of the short story. Her pen scratched the page and she was suddenly angrier than usual about the fact that her laptop had broke and her family computer was refusing to run certain programs. She could've been finished by then, but she wasn't. She had woken up during one of the best dreams. She had been tutoring Nathan, but it wasn't important now, what happened in her dream. She was writing about one of her favorite times with Lucas and the memory swam before her eyes.

"_Come on Hales, we're going to be late," Luke called from his old car and honking the horn once. Haley didn't really know what they could be late for, they were just going to drive around. Lucas had just gotten his driver's license and it was his first hour allowed to drive anyone around that wasn't family; Haley was his first choice. They had been best friends for what felt like forever, and they were always talking about when they'd be able to drive right off of the map one day. Of course, that day came first for Luke and Haley just got hold of the passenger seat, which for now was safe with her. She could drive around with Lucas though; he could be her "adult driver" seeing as he did already acquire his license, but Haley wasn't just with a permit anymore, she had to drive around with "family" which was what Luke was in her eyes. _

_Grabbing her purse, she ran out the door, bolted down the pathway, and threw open the passenger seat. "I'm ready," she said with a bright smile while she buckled her seat belt. "Where are we going to go first?" she asked, taking out a notebook and pen while Luke gave her a look with one raised eyebrow._

"_You don't need to take notes Hales," he told her, "but if you're so curious you're going to have to wait and be patient." He was doing this to kill her inside. He knew she was the most impatient person he knew, but wasn't every girl? _

_Haley frowned and put on her "irresistible" puppy dog face that only worked on the boy beside her about once out of every two hundred thousand times. "Please tell me? And these aren't notes," she said, "well…they kind of are. But I'm making a map of the places we drive tonight. We have to have a map to drive off of, remember?" She wondered if he remembered when they said that or if she was just sounding stupid and old fashion for remembering and wanting to remember at that. She was relieved when she got a smile and a nod. He remembered too. _

"_I felt stupid reminding you," he admitted as they eased on down the many roads of Tree Hill. "Clearly you had no trouble remembering, yourself, did you?" _

_Haley smiled. No she had no trouble at all. "Hey Luke, where are we?" she asked. She had seen this place in Karen's (Luke's mom) collection of photos. She forgot what they called it exactly, River something. She remembered Karen telling her about it once when Lucas came home from school late when they were supposed to do a project together. Karen had explained why Luke was so late and why Antoin "Skillz" Taylor decided to stop by. Haley had also known Skillz for a long time, but only because Luke came home late to work on a project in seventh grade. _

_Luke made a mock-shock face, "you don't remember this place?" _

_Haley shook her head, "I've never been. I've been told about it, but I forget what it's called." _

"_This, Haley James, is my favorite place of all time...the River Court…and look at that. There's Skillz." Haley waved out the window as they parked the car. _

_-----_

As Haley wrote that paper, Luke was flipping the front porch light on so that he could see as he walked to his car. It was the same car that he had a year and a half ago, the same rust patterns, the same neat red paint job, the same car. It was so familiar to him that it could be his second home and he'd never know it if he was blind folded. He felt at so much ease in that car. The seat had practically molded to fit him perfectly and make him as comfy as he could get in those squishy chairs, one with a rip letting yellow cushion seep out. It didn't make much sense to get a new car or get it refurnished because then he'd have to break that car in, and this car worked fine, it just wasn't in the best physical appearance.

Turning on the radio he tapped the steering wheel as he traveled down the smooth paved roads of the neighborhoods that he knew so well that led to the river court. Over the small bridge he drove the rattle of the boards underneath a sound that was very familiar. It scared him sometimes, he'd admit it, but he loved it all the same. It was an old bridge, one not exactly meant for cars to be driven over. Normally he just bounced his basketball down with his headphones in and his feet pounding the turf with a steady rhythm.

His grey "Keith's Auto Shop" sweatshirt was keeping him warm as he jogged out of his car, bouncing a basketball as he went. His red basketball shorts matched one of the color shades in the sunrise that was coming up over the horizons. Seeing the light he froze, a memory flashing across his mind. A pleasant memory it was…

_Light came through the glass window at the same angle as the sun, every now and then being blocked by the silhouette of what must be a girl's head. It hadn't quite registered yet, but it was beautiful; the light, and as the figure cleared, so was the girl before him, sitting at a table a giant sundae with two spoons dipping in and out of it in front of her. _

"_You know," she told him brightly while stabbing into the sundae with her spoon. She slid the metal into her mouth and sucked up the ice cream that had been piled on it, which only gave her a bit of a brain freeze. She made a disoriented face trying to swallow it without it being as cold. _

"_That you shouldn't take such big bites because you're gonna get brain freeze?" Luke guessed with a smile. While he did the same thing as Brooke, only with a smaller amount of ice cream on it, he looked at her and took her in. God, she was beautiful. Her dark eyes were glistening with happiness and her straightened hair was pulled back into a ponytail, two small amounts forming "pieces" of hair were left out on either side of her face because they weren't long enough to be tied back and stay with the rest of the bunch. Her tooth showing smile could lighten up any room and she just had that sort of grace about her that made her like a delicate rose. But of course with every rose there was a thorn, a sharp edge to Brooke. It was seen anytime, anywhere, no matter how much she tried to hide it. One could see it in her eyes, even when she was being sweet and gentle, that like the rest of the world, she had an edge; an air about her that was filled with "Brooke Oxygen." It wasn't a bad thing; in fact, Luke would even go as far as to say that that thorn that that delicate rose possessed was rounded off at the end so it could only penetrate so deeply._

_Brooke giggled a bit once she got over her temporary brain freeze and shook her head, stressing on the word, "nooooo…okay, just because you said I started too, but I was going to say, that this sundae is huge and it's insane that we're trying to eat it." _

_Lucas pointed his spoon at her, "but see, that's what we aim for. Besides, wouldn't you want a free sundae if we finish this one?" The size of the ice cream was so large that they had made it a special. If anyone finished it, they got a free large ice cream sundae, not as large as the current one they were trying to devour, but a normal sized large. _

"_Nooooo," she grinned, "I wouldn't want a free sundae, I'm never going to be able to eat after we finish this one, if we finish this one which I don't think we will. And we're totally cheating." The ice cream shop didn't exactly have rules about the jumbo sized sundae, so technically there was no way to cheat. _

_He chuckled lightly before whispering, "maybe we should just empty it over the trashcan and say that we ate it." He received a look that said she was thinking about it and really considering it. _

"_We should." She said this simply and then added, "Or we could forget about the free sundae and just take the desert to go. Or we could just go and I could be your desert." She said the last part in a flirty way. _

_Haley's voice sprung into Lucas's mind, supporting Brooke's theory. 'Think about it Luke, the sundae is the cost of three large sundaes, and it's four times as big, it's the same deal more or less,' she told him in his mind. She always had that tutor-girl air about her just like Brooke had the "Brooke" air about her. "Your right, and I think you'd be much better," he smiled leaning over and kissing her cheek, and adding a few more kisses down her neck. _

"_Luke," she whispered nudging him a bit, though she was smiling, "Luke we're in public." He nodded and then she took his hand and stood up. Looking into the sundae to see how much they had eaten, they noticed that in the massive bowl, there was only a small bit left. She scooped it up and told him, "open up." _

_He had become full too and the thought of eating another bite made his stomach flip. "I don't think I ca-," he was cut off by Brooke putting the ice cream in his mouth when the opportunity came. "Gee, thanks Brooke. Now I think I'm going to upchuck or something." He swallowed the ice cream reluctantly, knowing he wouldn't get sick. Suddenly, there was music playing and staff members clapping and circling their table for finishing the sundae. They didn't need the praise nor did they need that large free sundae coming their way. "Can we take that to go?" he asked and the lady nodded, rushing in back to put it in a container for them. _

_When she reappeared Brooke smiled, "thanks." She left a tip while Luke left the pay on the table and then they escaped into the day, the sun giving off the same glow that was beginning to seep through the trees across the river in Lucas Scott's reality. _

Taking a shot from the half line of the small court, the ball teetered on the rim and bounced off, landing in his younger brother's hands. "What are you doing out here so late?" he asked curiously, while the ball was bounced back to him. He took another shot, but the same thing happened, it fell back into Nathan's hands.

"It's like four in the morning, that's not late, that's early," he explained, "and I couldn't sleep…I have a study date with Haley tomorrow and so I turned off my bedroom light and came here to think. What if I turn out to be really stupid and she's insanely smart and I look like an idiot to her?"


	3. When Smiles & Wants Are Unknown

**Author's Note: **sorry that this is such a short chapter everyone. I had little thought to work with, nor do I have much time and I didn't want to come back to it later because I don't like to do that at times (like now), but I'm content with it. 'Hope you all like what I give you, though.

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_Don't think you're gonna look like an idiot to her, I mean, you will, but don't think about it_, Lucas's words echoed in Nate's head as he put his bag over his shoulder on his way to see Haley for their study session. Of course he was going to look like an idiot, but his older brother's laughing face swam across his eyes. Luke was always so sure it seemed, always. He had known Haley for a while, so he could be sure about it, Nathan handed him that, but he hadn't. He had barely said a word to her and now he was stuck with her for an hour or more. He was debating calling it off now and that startled him. He had never dreamed of and would never call off a date with a hot girl, let alone a hot tutor.

At the two machines he took his time buying Funions, and two root beers only he hid one in his Raven's jacket pocket. It was barely noticeable if at all, and he had a so called grand idea. It was actually fairly stupid and pretty pointless, but he was hoping that Haley might share her soda with him and maybe even he could always surprise her with another one if she needed it. Of course there was room for error and there were already flaws, but he figured it was a nice attempt. He figured he was acting like a boy in fifth grade with a crush and he might as well have been. He had never felt this way before, so… He didn't even know the word. He thought, _just another reason to get tutored._

She had told him to be there after basketball and be ready. There he was after basketball, all ready. He thought he heard footsteps but wasn't too sure. He turned his head to see Haley walking over to him, she didn't have anything with her and he wondered why. Were they suddenly off? She had her hands in her pockets and a smile across her face. "C'mon," she waved him over, "we're in room 207." He wondered why 207 and not the library, but it dawned on him that no food was allowed in the library, well there wasn't last year. He wasn't much of a rules guy when it came to things like that, but then he figured maybe tutors were assigned rooms as to not confuse things. He was just confusing himself.

In the room he saw that in the table in the corner were Haley's belongings. They walked over; he put his stuff down, and pulled out his book while placing the root beer and the Funions on the table. He opened to the chapter they were having the test on and told Haley, "teach me everything you know."

"Everything?" she questioned.

"Everything," he stated. Slowly, it seemed, he was going back to his old ways. Flirty and maybe hoping they could do more than just study books.

-----

"You know that's my car, right?" Peyton asked the boy who was looking at it closely. His back was to her and all she could see was his brown wavy hair and how tall he was, maybe around Nathan's height, the height she learned to like. She was shorter than him though, of course, by about seven inches standing at a proud five foot five inches.

The boy wheeled around, "hey…yeah, I know, I was actually waiting for you."

Peyton recognized him at once. He was on the Ravens' basketball team. His name was Jake, and whether she knew it or not, she had recently begun following him with her eyes and lingering on the words he spoke in the halls. "Oh hi Jake," she said with a smile. Truthfully she was a little curious as to why he was waiting for her. "You were waiting for me?" This little piece of information made her smile all the more. It was nice to hear that he was waiting for her and was willing to wait unlike a certain Nathan Scott who was impatient and would tell her more often than not that he wasn't going to wait all day. She checked her watch, from what she knew, he had waited all day. Actually, he had only waited an extra hour but that was a lot to be waiting out by a car when it was just becoming spring.

Jake looked a little nervous as he scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, umm, so you know how it's been going around that you and Nathan broke up?" he asked a bit timidly and Peyton didn't know why he'd wait to ask her that, couldn't he just text her or call her or something, he did have her number after all. She didn't even know if that was crucial, relevant information that would impact Jake's life.

"Yeah, he dumped me the day before yesterday," she told him, tilting her head in a 'why' kind of way. She wasn't trying to be cocky or appear to be mean and ready to smack him, but it might've seemed that way.

Jake nodded, his hands in his pocket, his weight shifting from one foot to the other, rocking on the balls of his feet. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that," and yet all Peyton could hear was _I'm sorry I'm so polite. _She didn't mind though. "But what do'ya say to maybe going out sometime?" He sounded so sure, so positive with his words like he had done this many times before, but Peyton knew he wasn't a bad boy, he was a genuine, polite, sane kind of guy. It kind of sounded like asking if they were broken up was just to make sure and he didn't really care, but Peyton didn't really care. If Nathan wanted it done, Peyton would show she didn't care either, and in all fairness, she didn't.

She smiled and nodded her head a little, her blonde curls bouncing. "That'd be nice I think," she said smiling, "what about Friday?"

Jake nodded, "Friday it is. I'll pick you up at seven."

It was so sudden, such a surprise. It was a lovely, bittersweet reality, and Peyton loved it. She was looking forward to Friday and couldn't wait until it finally came to see what was coming her way. She pictured them walking to his car, her phone shining seven o'clock, and out to dinner they would go, smiling, talking laughing. Jake was what she needed, it was a beautiful moment in time in her dreams. "I'll see you at seven," she smiled. Out of the sudden surprise, seven o'clock seemed so typical. At least a constant would be nice.

Getting in her car she asked him, "Hey do you need a ride?"

Jake shook his head, "no, my car's over there. Thanks though." He pointed to his car, gave a wave and walked away, his hands deep in his pockets walking away with that perfect walk. Very much a gentleman he was now despite how he might've been previously at the basketball parties.

Peyton waved her goodbye and turned the key in the ignition. Going slower than usual, she watched him in her rearview mirror walk away. He turned his head with a smile to himself that she could see, but he didn't know about. She too smiled to herself with a smile that he couldn't see, didn't know about.


End file.
